In this rich and wide-ranging conversation, host Eric Bennett, welcomes Rob Wright, CEO of Mann Lake, for an honest and surprisingly personal look at the current state of the beekeeping industry.

From swarm-catching mishaps and hive cutouts to global honey tastings and the future of bee health, this episode blends practical insights, industry updates, and stories that every beekeeper—from hobbyist to commercial operator—will relate to.

Rob shares what he’s learned from four years of active beekeeping, how Mann Lake has transformed under new family ownership, and why bee nutrition is becoming one of the most important levers in improving colony survival.

The two also dive into new industry technologies, the newly released North American Honey Bee Strategy, and why staying connected to your bees is still more powerful than any gadget, social media, AI, or automation.

VIDEO VERSION: https://youtu.be/ZzTSveQxUSs

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Discount on Live Bees & Beginner Essentials at Mann Lake: https://www.mannlakeltd.com/honey-bees/

https://www.mannlakeltd.com/hives-components/beginner-essentials/

Discount Code: GETSTARTEDINBEES

_________________

Special thanks to our presenting sponsor, Mann Lake! https://www.mannlakeltd.com/

Mann Lake discount code: MLBEELOVE10 for $10 off your first $100 order.

North American Bee Strategy Report: https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org/nabs/

https://www.beelovebeekeeping.com/

Eric@BeeLoveBeekeeping.com

In this episode of Be Love Beekeeping, Eric and Bee Culture editor Jerry Hayes break down the aftermath of the 2024–25 winter honey bee die-off, where roughly 1.6 million colonies were lost.

They discuss how Varroa-spread viruses, weak mite management, nutrition challenges, climate stress, and migratory pollination all converged to push colonies past their limits. A central message emerges: beekeepers at every level must sample for Varroa, treat based on data, rotate treatments to avoid resistance, and sample again.

The conversation expands to new pressures on beekeeping, including yellow-legged hornets, the lingering threat of Asian giant hornets, and the growing spread of Africanized genetics—with Jerry sharing firsthand experiences from his work in Florida.

They also touch on emerging hive designs, insulation, and other equipment aimed at helping bees cope with harsh weather and environmental stress.

Despite the challenges, the episode highlights reasons for optimism: strong support from scientific organizations, state inspectors, and reputable beekeeping groups, along with better tools and research than ever before.

The takeaway? Beekeeping is demanding, but with reliable information and committed management, there’s still plenty of hope—and love—in the apiary.

VIDEO VERSION: https://youtu.be/PzqT5yIzU34

________________

Discount on Live Bees & Beginner Essentials at Mann Lake: https://www.mannlakeltd.com/honey-bees/

https://www.mannlakeltd.com/hives-components/beginner-essentials/

Discount Code: GETSTARTEDINBEES

_________________

Special thanks to our presenting sponsor, Mann Lake! https://www.mannlakeltd.com/

Mann Lake discount code: MLBEELOVE10 for $10 off your first $100 order.

Jerry-Bee Culture Magazine: https://beeculture.com/

Almond Milk Article: https://farmonaut.com/usa/almond-milk-kills-bees-5-shocking-ca-impacts

https://www.beelovebeekeeping.com/

Eric@BeeLoveBeekeeping.com

In this deeply moving episode of Be Love Beekeeping, we meet Utah commercial beekeeper Prenten Frazier of Beehive State Honey, whose 5-generation family operation was recently devastated by a catastrophic warehouse fire.

Prenten shares the gut-wrenching 4:30 a.m. phone call no beekeeper ever wants, the shock of watching 37,000 square feet of buildings, wax, equipment, and a year’s honey harvest go up in flames—and the incredible story of how firefighters, fellow beekeepers, and strangers stepped in to help save his bees and his business.

Along the way, we hear about his passion for cold-extracted honey, bee-based wellness, and why he still loves Mondays, even while rebuilding from the ashes.

Here's how you can help - https://gofund.me/ad1033394

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Discount on Live Bees & Beginner Essentials at Mann Lake: https://www.mannlakeltd.com/honey-bees/

https://www.mannlakeltd.com/hives-components/beginner-essentials/

Discount Code: GETSTARTEDINBEES

__________

Video Version: https://youtu.be/imoAT2Opvf8

Special thanks to our presenting sponsor, Mann Lake! https://www.mannlakeltd.com/

Mann Lake discount code: MLBEELOVE10 for $10 off your first $100 order.

Prenten Frazier: https://beehivestatehoney.com/

https://www.beelovebeekeeping.com/

Eric@BeeLoveBeekeeping.com

Learn How to Lift a Heavy Honey Super With ONE Hand.

This episode of Be Love Beekeeping opens with a poetic reflection on honeybees and the sometimes-clumsy humans who care for them, then pivots into a very real problem most beekeepers know too well: heavy lifting and exhausting honey harvests.

After a sobering Arizona news story about a tragic bee-transport accident and a look at emerging research on the mental health benefits of beekeeping, the conversation “heads down under” to Byron Bay, Australia.

Host Eric Bennett sits down with Cedar Anderson, co-founder of Flow Hive, to talk about how he and his father spent a decade turning the dream of “honey on tap” into reality. Cedar explains how Flow Hive works, who it’s best suited for, why education is essential for new beekeepers, and how their global community has grown to over 150,000 hives in 130+ countries.

They also dive into seasonal management with Flow Hives, the brand-new Superlifter that tackles heavy boxes, and a wild prototyping story involving a runaway hive rolling down a hill.

Cedar closes by reflecting on the never-ending learning journey of beekeeping and the critical role honey bees play in global pollination and the “matrix of life” we all depend on.

It's all about the love of honey bees and the humans who care for them!

VIDEO VERSION: https://youtu.be/ZLqNd9dIvqE

Mann Lake's New Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mannlake

Special thanks to our presenting sponsor, Mann Lake! https://www.mannlakeltd.com/

Mann Lake discount code: MLBEELOVE10 for $10 off your first $100 order.

Cedar Anderson: https://www.honeyflow.com/

https://www.beelovebeekeeping.com/

Eric@BeeLoveBeekeeping.com

Episode Chapters

00:00:00 – A World of Bees & Beekeepers

00:01:27 – The Heavy-Lifting Problem in Beekeeping

00:02:00 – Tragic Bee Transport Accident in Arizona

00:03:12 – Bees, Mental Health & Emotional Well-Being

00:05:02 – Welcome Cedar Anderson, Co-Founder of Flow Hive

00:08:12 – From Sticky Sheds to Honey on Tap: Inventing Flow Hive

00:11:11 – Flavor, Terroir & Single-Frame Honey

00:13:11 – Crowdfunding, Global Reach & Who Buys Flow Hives

00:16:26 – Flow Hive Doesn’t Do the Beekeeping for You

00:18:35 – Education, Community & TheBeekeeper.org

00:20:16 – The Hive: Man Lake’s Beekeeping Community

00:21:50 – Aesthetics & Seasonality with Flow Hives

00:24:01 – Introducing the Superlifter

00:26:34 – How the Superlifter Works

00:29:58 – Wild Story: The Runaway Hive

00:31:36 – Why Cedar Loves Honey Bees

00:32:20 – Closing & Sign-Off

GENETICS MATTER!

Host, Eric Bennett takes us from poetic honeybee musings straight into the practical world of queen bee production on Hawaiʻi Island.

After a heartwarming news segment about 9-year-old beekeeper Nicholas Bard and the Santa Rosa community pushing back on an outdated city ordinance, Eric sits down with Rebeca Krones of Hawaiian Queen Company in Captain Cook.

Rebecca explains why Hawaiʻi is one of the best places on the planet to raise queen bees, how controlled genetics (via Dr. Joe Latshaw) produce gentle but hard-working stock, what their year-round queen breeding business calendar looks like, and how to successfully introduce a new queen into your beehive so you don’t lose your investment.

They also detour into Hawaiian honey flows (mac nut, lehua, and Christmas berry 😋) and shipping mishaps — including the time a carrier bagged 150 queens and…well…suffocated them.

The episode closes with Rebecca’s best piece of beekeeping advice: don’t assume this year will be like last year.

VIDEO VERSION: https://youtu.be/UfIU0kzelKA

Mann Lake's New Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mannlake

Rebeca Krones: https://hawaiianqueen.com/

Special thanks to our presenting sponsor, Mann Lake! https://www.mannlakeltd.com/

Mann Lake discount code: MLBEELOVE10 for $10 off your first $100 order.

https://www.beelovebeekeeping.com/

Eric@BeeLoveBeekeeping.com

Host Eric welcomes Kevin O’Connor of Bee Boys Apiary from Waiohinu on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi to talk about what many consider one of the spiciest topics in beekeeping: treatment-free, regenerative beekeeping.

Before the interview, Eric shares a fascinating new study on the waggle dance, showing that bees don’t just pass on direction and distance—they actually integrate dance information with their own cognitive map of the landscape to anticipate landmarks and fly more efficiently.

Kevin walks us through the philosophy behind his 100% treatment-free beekeeping business: no plastic, no feeding, no foundation, no pollination services, bees allowed to swarm, and an 8-year closed line of genetics stemming from a single colony. He explains why this slow, sometimes painful path (you will lose colonies at first) can produce very resilient “landrace” honey bees when you pair it with abundant, diverse forage and a clean environment.

They also tackle the big objections—“you’re sending me mite bombs,” “you can’t do that where winters are hard,” “I can’t do that with 2,000 colonies”—and Kevin gives the nuanced answer: you can move toward it, but it’s a multi-year, location-aware transition and you can’t shortcut the genetics of your bees.

Finally, Kevin shares how farmers markets became his best business channel—because people will happily pay top dollar (yes, $45–$50/pint!) when they can look the beekeeper in the eye, hear how the bees are kept, and see all the value-added products (salves, balms, honey vinegars) that come from clean wax and honey.

VIDEO VERSION: https://youtu.be/TEvKZuO2d8k

Mann Lake's New Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mannlake

Kevin O'Connor: https://beeboys.org/

Special thanks to our presenting sponsor, Mann Lake! https://www.mannlakeltd.com/

Mann Lake discount code: MLBEELOVE10 for $10 off your first $100 order.

https://www.beelovebeekeeping.com/

Eric@BeeLoveBeekeeping.com

What can you learn from a 50 year beekeeper? Chuck Kutik opens up about everything he has learned about beekeeping and making money in the business of bees, over the years.

In this engaging episode, host Eric Bennett welcomes Chuck, a 50-year veteran commercial beekeeper from New York.

Chuck opens up about the fascinating life of bees, the business side of beekeeping, and what it takes to balance passion, profit, and pollination. From moving thousands of hives for blueberry pollination to dealing with bears, yellow jasmine, and lightning strikes, Chuck’s stories blend humor, humility, and decades of hard-earned wisdom.

Episode Highlights The Wonder of the Hive: Chuck shares how each beehive feels like divine creation in motion — a glimpse of harmony between bees, flowers, and nature itself.

Pollination Journeys: His favorite job? Pollinating blueberries in North Carolina. Chuck describes hauling 3,000 hives south, working with farmers he now calls friends, and how blueberries, almonds, and even weather patterns shape the bees’ health.

Toxic Blooms & Bee Hazards: Learn why yellow jasmine, South Carolina’s state flower, is poisonous to bees — and how even his workers once found out the hard way.

Trucking Bees Across America: Chuck details the challenges of transporting bees across long distances — from ventilation hacks on semis to surviving long nights and a near-miss lightning storm in Maine.

The Business of Bees: From selling nucs and queens to running retail stores and pollination contracts, Chuck explains which parts of beekeeping actually make money — and how new beekeepers can start smart.

Honey Varieties & Flavor Talk: Explore the unique tastes of clover, blueberry, sourwood, locust, and the rare Tupelo honey — which Chuck confesses is his favorite.

Lessons in Loss & Survival: How Chuck’s colonies fared through cold winters, why new comb and young queens make a difference, and the constant battle with Varroa mites.

Beekeeping Humor & Humanity: Chuck recalls youthful misadventures, from overworking himself to bringing a spare truck transmission on the road — “because you never know.”

Advice for Beginners: Chuck reminds new beekeepers that bees aren’t for saving money — they’re for joy. “If you just want cheap honey, buy it. But if you love nature and God’s creation, then you’ll love keeping bees.”

VIDEO VERSION: https://youtu.be/2OPwBJqBZ1s

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Mann Lake's New Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mannlake

Chuck Kutik: https://www.kutiks.com/

Special thanks to our presenting sponsor, Mann Lake! https://www.mannlakeltd.com/

Mann Lake discount code: MLBEELOVE10 for $10 off your first $100 order.

https://www.beelovebeekeeping.com/

Eric@BeeLoveBeekeeping.com

Has Varroa met it's match? Is there really a birth control for mites?

Beekeepers celebrate with this episode of Bee Love Beekeeping!

We start with a love letter to honeybees and the beekeepers who tend them, then head to the Bee Love newsroom: small hive beetle turns up in southeast Alaska for the first time, and West Virginia considers a statewide Beekeeping Rights Bill that would centralize apiary regulations and protect beekeepers.

Our main segment features Eric Walgren and Adam Pachl from GreenLight Biosciences on Narroa, a new RNA treatment that prevents Varroa mites from reproducing rather than poisoning them. We cover safety (no special PPE, broad working temps), application (a sugar-syrup pouch nurse bees convert into brood food), timing and strategy (best as a preventive when mite loads are low; pairs well after a knock-down), storage and shelf life, and availability following recent EPA registration.

We wrap with stories from the field and a beginner’s primer on why Varroa control is non-negotiable for all beekeepers.

It's all about the love of honey bees and the beekeepers!

Video Version: https://youtu.be/l9LsBn6pXh0

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Mann Lake's New Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/mannlake

Norroa: https://norroa.com/

Special thanks to our presenting sponsor, Mann Lake! https://www.mannlakeltd.com/

Mann Lake discount code: MLBEELOVE10 for $10 off your first $100 order.

https://www.beelovebeekeeping.com/

Eric@BeeLoveBeekeeping.com